Public sector pay should be reformed not reinstated

The prospect of public sector pay increases, about which negotiations will commence between the government and the trade unions on Tuesday, will infuriate many readers. To put it mildly, they have a point.

Public servants are – on average, and taking into account all factors – better paid than their private sector counterparts and enjoy guaranteed pensions for which their employers pay most of the cost. They have complete job security at a time when employment in the private sector has never been less secure. And many public servants have shorter working weeks, better sick leave and longer holidays.